


Departure

by RestARose13



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Gen, OCs - Freeform, Pre-Inquisition Inquisitor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 02:14:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3792811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RestARose13/pseuds/RestARose13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nan'Shiral is faced with Enera's approaching departure for the Conclave.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Departure

"Absolutely not!"

Keeper Dashanna watched the hunter jump and begin to pace, his agitation clear. She had known Nan'Shiral would not take the news well and had volunteered to tell him in her First's place while she prepared for her journey. Though the Keeper had faith in her First's resolution, she also knew that Enera always found it difficult to deny those she loved. It was important that Enera take this journey alone. Firstly so as to not draw attention but perhaps more importantly, to give her apprentice a closure she had long denied herself since joining the clan. Deshanna watched Nan'Shiral now, brown eyes glaring at her as he went back and forth.

"It was her choice, lethallin. She volunteered and made a valid point. She knows more about shems than we do. She would more easily fit amongst them while watching their Conclave."

"But alone? I should go with her. It's far too dangerous..."

"She is no longer the child you found. She is First of the clan and a grown woman. You cannot ignore that."

"I..." Nan'Shiral finally sat back down across the Keeper. The fire highlighted the few grey hairs in the sea of black as he ran his hand through it. Always smiling, his age rarely showed. Now, as concern marred his features his years came through. It had been nearly twenty years since Nan'Shiral found Enera in the woods, bent over her mother as she desperately tried to heal the corpse. He had been truly young then, only having received his vallaslin a few years prior. While the Keeper had taught Enera in the elven ways, their lore, their magic, their knowledge, it was Nan'Shiral who had truly raised her. He tended to her when she was sick, patched up scrapes and bruises, taught her the practical ways of the Dalish. He was as close of a parent she had, though he would never dare call himself such. Now, he was faced with sending her back to the shemlen world she had escaped from without him there to protect her.

"I understand your reservations, lethallin." Deshanna moved across the small space between them, placing a hand of comfort on his shoulder. He turned from her, refusing to meet her gaze.

"I should go with her. I...I can watch from a distance while the Conclave meets. Just to keep her safe in her journey. It's a long trek to Fereldan." Deshanna shook her head, though he did not see it.

"Enera knows how to travel discreetly. A mage headed towards the Temple of Sacred Ashes will not be an odd sight. Most shems cannot tell our vallaslin apart from regular face tattoos. However, two elves traveling together, both with face markings? It will draw attention." Deshanna felt the tension in Nan'Shiral's shoulders gradual drop. She knew it would be difficult for him, but he was never one to ignore reason.

"She is packing in her aravel now. Take your time to say your goodbyes."

Nan'Shiral took the cue and left the Keeper's aravel. Once outside, he took a deep breath. The sun was shining, a gentle breeze wafted through the trees, and the sounds of the halla could be heard in the distance. It was entirely too nice a day for his grey mood. Enera was going back to the shems. She was to be surrounded by the order that murdered her parents. He was not allowed to go with her. He would not be there to keep her safe. He would not be there to send an arrow through the throat of the first Templar who tried to approach her.

Releasing his breath, he made for the outskirts of the camp. The Keeper said that Enera would be packing, but he knew that wasn't true. A few of the clan looked at him as he passed, some even called out, vain attempts to cheer him up. They knew she was leaving and it was clear how he felt about it. Once he passed the last aravel, he tried his best to calm his features. He would not let her see exactly how upset he was about the situation.

It's only temporary, he told himself. She just needs to go to the Conclave, see what the shems are up to and then come back. That's, what, a couple of months at most? Accounting for bad weather during travel and how long the shems can argue it out. Just a couple months of being alone and surrounded by Templars. It will be fine...  
Somehow, that didn't make him feel better.

There, far from camp but not so far as to insult the god, was the statue of Fen'Harel and just as Nan'Shiral predicted, Enera was there as well. When she first joined the clan, Enera had near constant nightmares. She would see the fates of her parents over and over, seeing them cut down in front of her once more. Nan'Shiral remembered that first morning of waking and discovering her nowhere in the camp. The Keeper and him looked everywhere for her. It was well past dawn by the time he found her asleep next to the wolf statue. Nan'Shiral had never been more terrified. He had thought that the Dread Wolf had actually come to take her away. When he got her back to camp and asked what happened, she wouldn't say at first. Eventually, he and the Keeper got the truth from her. She told how the nightmares plagued her and how scared she was. Enera left the camp because she did not want them to hear her cry. The cities have stories of the Dalish, after all. Stories about what happens to noisy children. So, she left the camp. The child knew that the wolf statue marked the outskirts. She was far enough away that no one would hear her, but close enough so as to not be lost. Apparently, every time she had a nightmare, she would go to the wolf statue, tell him the nightmare and anything else that happened during the day until she fell asleep. 

_"You cannot do that, da'len. That is the Dread Wolf, the enemy of our people."_

_"Why?"_

_"He was kin to the Creators, but he sealed them away and caused the downfall of Elvhenan."_

_"Why?"_

_"He was jealous. He was power hungry. He was trusted and so betrayed them all. Even now, he hunts alone, stalking our people and taking them away. He is the bringer of nightmares. He is likely the cause of your troubles. It is an attempt to lure you away from us."_

_"Maybe he's lonely."_

_"The Dread Wolf is not lonely, da'len."_

Nan'Shiral shook the memory from his head as he sat next to the mage. It was difficult to see her here now and not imagine the wide eyed child that followed him around. Once she was finally comfortable with her new life amongst the Dalish, she was always by him or the Keeper, always asking questions. Why this? Why that? How's that work? We had that in the Alienage. She looked at him now, eyes no longer wide, but focused. She truly was no longer the child he found. 

"I suppose you'll be leaving soon."

"Yes. A merchant caravan is passing by soon and the Keeper has arranged my travel with them. They will take me to the Waking Sea where I can board a ship. From there, I head to the Conclave."

Nan'Shiral rubbed his hands on his legs. He did not know if it was his instinct or his personal apprehension that made him uneasy, but he could not shake the knots that formed. It sounded too easy. Just a hop, skip, and jump there and then right back. What could possibly go wrong?

"Do you have everything you need? Your staff? Coin? Warm clothes? The Conclave will be in the mountains and in Fereldan. Not a good, warm combination." He heard a faint laugh come from her.

"I have everything I'll need. You worry too much. It will make you old, hahren." Nan'Shiral scoffed. It was the ongoing tease between them. She would joke about how old he was getting and he would retort about her youth. It was a silly banter seeing as they were barely ten years apart. This time, however, he did not rise to the bait.

"I am worried," he admitted. "I will continue to worry till you are safe back at camp." 

A call came from camp, breaking the small silence that had fallen between them. The caravan had been spotted in the distance. Before Nan'shiral could embarrass himself further, he got up from the statue and looked towards the clearing.

"Well, we should let you say goodbye to the rest of camp before you head off. You'd never hear the end of it if you left without a proper send off." He heard her shuffle behind him as she rose from her own sitting position. He did not turn to look. Nan'Shiral did not want Enera to see his eyes starting to shine. As they walked back, however, she reached out and took his hand. Without hesitation, he tightly grasped back, not wanting to let go but eventually doing so as they re-entered the camp. She needed to be free to say her goodbyes. He could not hold her back any longer. 

He watched as she went, person to person. A hand shake here, a hug there. Words of encouragement when needed. For the Keeper, a warm embrace while Deshanna talked about how she knew Enera would make the clan proud and that they all looked forward to her return. Finally, she came to him again. There was no longer hiding his unshed tears. Her head brushed the shadowed side of his vallaslin before wrapping him in a hug. He held her tight, a few tears finally escaping.

"If anyone gives you trouble, do not hesitate to zap them, or freeze them or light their ass on fire." He felt the small shake of laughter.

"I think that would only get me in more trouble."

"Don't talk to strangers. Well, some strangers. If they act weird, just keep moving." He swallowed hard, trying to keep his voice steady. "Trust your instincts."

"I know."

"And..."

"I'm going to miss the caravan." She joked as she pulled away. As she wiped away the trails of tears, she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I'll be back before you know it." One last faint smile before she turned from him one final time.

Nan'Shiral held on as long as he could, but also found himself rooted to his spot as he watched her get further and further away. She was no longer the child that ran to him for everything. She was a grown woman, leaving on a journey of her own. He knew she could take care of herself. Was more than capable of handling any troubles that might cross her path. But still, he could not shake the feeling of dread that overwhelmed him as he watched her climb into the merchant wagon and ride off. As he watched the dust trail away, he whispered one last prayer,

"May the Dread Wolf never catch you, da'len."


End file.
